Volume 007-2 - April 1953 (2 pages)

The Indians.. As ! Remember Them By HERBERT J. NILE From my earliest recollections Indians were a matter of fact and not at all unusual. They came to our house sometimes to work. Sometimes they just passed through on their way across Deer Creek and the Yuba River to the Indian Camp at Indiana Ranch or the one near Dobbins and the Oregon House. They used to come asking for a little sugar, coffee, tea or old clothes. My mother always gave them what they asked for. There was never a word of complaint that they were beggars or in any way a nuisance or bother. They never stole or molested any livestock or other animals about the place. They liked us children and we were used to them and always glad to see them. The older ones I remember were Pomelo, his brother, Sam and his wife. Cisco, Long Charley, Scarface Dick, Dirgy, Bob Leutenan and many others. The women and children were rather bashful. The babies were always tied on a board with just their faces showing. I never saw a baby cry so they must have been comfortable and contented. Speaking of Cisco, he was kidnapped by some Spaniard or Mexican some time in the thirties and taken south, he thought, down into Mexico. He was just old enough to remember being taken away. When he was a young man he came back but never found his folks or anyone who knew of his being taken, so he settled and lived his life here. He was kind and friendly. The burial places, where I have found and arrow-heads, are just across the road on top of the hill north of the Indian Springs Schoolhouse, and on the Palmerton place east of Banner Grange Hall. There was also a camp right on the site of Banner Grange Hall. I have seen beads from the site near the old Comby crossing, but have never picked up any myself. They tell me where the beads are found, only Chiefs and Medicine men were burned and the dead were brought to these special places. The question is, where the traders who sold or traded with the Indians went through the country: as in all three I have mentioned there are some glass beads with facet sides, and I am sure the Indians did not make them. There are Indian mills and stone hammers or tomahawks in many places around this country, at the Loney Ranch, south of Indian Spring Mountain, the Barbara Ranch, up Clear Creek Ranch, Rattlesnake Creek below the Red Hat, Chicago Park and in the Selby Flat area. The only ceremonial house I ever saw of the Digger Indians was at the camp in Section 18 T. 1GNR9E. We were back firing against a fire from the north and the line was the trail from Anthony House to McGonigal’s. As I remember, the round house was about 30 feet in diameter, sided and roofed with scraps of lumber split and some sawed pieces of lumber. The conical roof }ooked like the Navaho Hogans, only larger. I think it was in 1902 that we saved it from burning; I intended to get a picture but a year or two later it burned with the other cabins. Fred Weber was along the time we backfired around the camp, but the others have passed on. The Indians from our place went to the Anthony House and the Bourn Ranch in Pleasant Valley and from there, as they thinned out, to the camp west of Nevada City. It is just a few years since Betsy on. I remember her from the time I could walk. It has not been so many years ago since Ellen died. The Indians used the cast off clothing of my mother and sisters. They would come about once a year and take what my mother could spare. I wish I had a picture of some of the bundles they carried away. One I remember, all of four feet wide and held by a strip across the squaw’s forehead. My father used to pull teeth for the Indians. He had a fine set of forceps. I remember one afternoon, Old Sam and his squaw came to have cne pulled. They came from Pleasant Valley and had to rest until morning, so they camped by the fence on the side yard. (They always carried a roll of ragged bedding.) I stcod by while the squaw sat down sideways on their bed. Old Sam lay on his back with his head on her lap and father got on his knees and pulled the old snag, which did not come out hard. Old Sam cried and she put her head down on his face and cried with him for quite a while. We left them alone and after a while they packed up and went home. In thinking back, all the memories or contacts we had with the Indians were pleasant and helped to break the every day monotony of life, as there were not so many diversions then as now. Nevada County Historical Society Museum Gdttion May, 1953 Vol. 7, No. 2 INDIAN downeville N. San Juan CAMPS D. Foley cambie C. @ — la ’ Ye ChereKee @ Indian Camps — Paved Raads To y == Diet Roads ff Auburn é =e. Kiver aoe Cron K S @ Tewn Historical Society dues of $1.00 may be paid to Mrs. A. Rogers, Rough & Ready, Calif. Storm’s Ranch in Penn Valley. Strong’s Ranch near Chicago Park. Bourne Ranch in Pleasant Valley. Day’s Ranch near Grass Valley. Indian Campoodie near Nevada City. Loney Ranch south of Indian Springs Mountain. Barbara Ranch on Clear Creek above Penn Valley. Butler Ranch, Squirrel Creek Ranch. Rattlesnake Creek below Red Hat Orchard Springs Ranch, Siems Ranch, Service Station. Chicago Park. Selby Flat near Nevada City.

The Indians... As ! Remember Them By HERBERT J. NILE From my earliest recollections Indians were a matter of fact and not at all unusual. They came to our house sometimes to work. Sometimes they just passed through on their way across Deer Creek and the Yuba River to the Indian Camp at Indiana Ranch or the one near Dobbins and the Oregon House. They used to come asking for a little sugar, coffee, tea or old clothes. My mother always gave them what they asked for. There was never a word of complaint that they were beggars or in any way a nuisance or bother. They never stole or molested any livestock or other animals about the place. They liked us children and we were used to them and always glad to see them. The older ones I remember were Pomelo, his brother, Sam and his wife. Cisco, Long Charley, Scarface Dick, Dirgy, Bob Leutenan and many others. The women and children were rather bashful. The babies were always tied on a board with just their faces showing. I never saw a baby cry so they must have been comfortable and contented. Speaking of Cisco, he was kidnapped by some Spaniard or Mexican some time in the thirties and taken south, he thought, down into Mexico. He was just old enough to remember being taken away. When he was a young man he came back but never found his folks or anyone who knew of his being taken, so he settled and lived his life here. He was kind and friendly. The burial places, where I have found and arrow-heads, are just across the road on top of the hill north of the Indian Springs Schoolhouse, and on the Palmerton place east of Banner Grange Hall. There was also a camp right on the site of Banner Grange Hall. I have seen beads from the site near the old Comby crossing, but have never picked up any myself. They tell me where the beads are found, only Chiefs and Medicine men were burned and the dead were brought to these special places. The question is, where the traders who sold or traded with the Indians went through the country: as in all three I have mentioned there are some glass beads with facet sides, and I am sure the Indians did not make them. There are Indian mills and stone hammers or tomahawks in many places around this country, at the Loney Ranch, south of Indian Spring Mountain, the Barbara Ranch, up Clear Creek Ranch, Rattlesnake Creek below the Red Hat, Chicago Park and in the Selby Flat area. The only ceremonial house I ever saw of the Digger Indians was at the camp in Section 18 T. 1GNR9E. We were back firing against a fire from the north and the line was the trail from Anthony House to McGonigal’s. As I remember, the round house was about 30 feet in diameter, sided and roofed with scraps of lumber split and some sawed pieces of lumber. The conical roof }ooked like the Navaho Hogans, only larger. I think it was in 1902 that we saved it from burning; I intended to get a picture but a year or two later it burned with the

other cabins. Fred Weber was along the time we backfired around the camp, but the others have passed on. The Indians from our place went to the Anthony House and the Bourn Ranch in Pleasant Valley and from there, as they thinned out, to the camp west of Nevada City. It is just a few years since Betsy on. I remember her from the time I could walk. It has not been so many years ago since Ellen died. The Indians used the cast off clothing of my mother and sisters. They would come about once a year and take what my mother could spare. I wish I had a picture of some of the bundles they carried away. One I remember, all of four feet wide and held by a strip across the squaw’s forehead. My father used to pull teeth for the Indians. He had a fine set of forceps. I remember one afternoon, Old Sam and his squaw came to have cne pulled. They came from Pleasant Valley and had to rest until morning, so they camped by the fence on the side yard. (They always carried a roll of ragged bedding.) I stcod by while the squaw sat down sideways on their bed. Old Sam lay on his back with his head on her lap and father got on his knees and pulled the old snag, which did not come out hard. Old Sam cried and she put her head down on his face and cried with him for quite a while. We left them alone and after a while they packed up and went home. In thinking back, all the memories or contacts we had with the Indians were pleasant and helped to break the every day monotony of life, as there were not so many diversions then as now. Nevada County Historical Society Museum Gdttion May, 1953 Vol. 7, No. 2 INDIAN downeville N. San Juan CAMPS D. Foley cambie C. @ — la ’ Ye ChereKee @ Indian Camps — Paved Raads To y == Diet Roads ff Auburn é =e. Kiver aoe Cron K S @ Tewn Historical Society dues of $1.00 may be paid to Mrs. A. Rogers, Rough & Ready, Calif. Storm’s Ranch in Penn Valley. Strong’s Ranch near Chicago Park. Bourne Ranch in Pleasant Valley. Day’s Ranch near Grass Valley. Indian Campoodie near Nevada City. Loney Ranch south of Indian Springs Mountain. Barbara Ranch on Clear Creek above Penn Valley. Butler Ranch, Squirrel Creek Ranch. Rattlesnake Creek below Red Hat Orchard Springs Ranch, Siems Ranch, Service Station. Chicago Park. Selby Flat near Nevada City.